


All the Writers Keep Writing What They Write

by dls



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: 5+1, Character Study, Civil War Team Iron Man, Deleted Scenes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-11
Updated: 2020-04-29
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:27:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 2,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21759784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dls/pseuds/dls
Summary: Various scenes that either didn't make it to the finished fic or were never part of one to begin with (aka I forgot why I wrote them).Ch. 1: Draft scene fromIf You Had This Time Again, featuring Steve's search for the Winter soldier.Ch. 2: Unused scene fromIf You Had This Time Again, featuring Darcy and JB being adorable.Ch. 3: Mystery scene I don't remember writing, featuring a (dark-ish) peek into Steve's thoughts on heroes and about himself.Ch. 4: Unused scene fromI Wouldn't Hesitate (to smile while you suffocate and die), featuring a not-so-happy reunion between Hope and Scott (and the ex-Vengers).Ch. 5: Draft scene from what was supposed to be a5 Times Scott Lang Was Wrong About Tony Stark and the 1 Time He Was Right About Captain Americafic.Ch. 6: Draft scenes from what was supposed to be a5+1 where the ex-Vengers turn on Stevefic.Ch. 7: Unused scene from(where we at) Only Few Have Knownthat didn't fit with the tone of the fluffy FrostIron fic (yay alliteration).Ch. 8: Unused Christmas scene fromIf You Had This Time Again, featuring Tony thinking about his friends' holiday traditions.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Steve Rogers, Loki & Thor (Marvel), Tony Stark & Avengers Team
Comments: 97
Kudos: 282
Collections: Best Team Iron Man





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> References/Quotes:   
>  Title from "My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up)" by Fall Out Boy.   
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My original plan was to have Steve tear up Brooklyn to find Bucky, eventually leading him to Stark Tower for a showdown between Captain America and Iron Man (and Loki...and the Hulk...). In the end, I decided to go in a different direction in IYHTTA , to loop in more characters and weave a more complicated plot, so this scene was scrapped from the story.
> 
> References/Quotes:   
>  _Captain America: First Avenger_. _Captain America: Winter Soldier_.

Steve closed the manila folder and threw it on top of the smaller pile with a sigh. At first, he had been glad for SHIELD's extensive record-keeping but now, after reviewing the targets of and incidents caused by the Winter Soldier, he wasn't so sure if SHIELD's meticulousness was a blessing or a curse.

How many deaths lurked within those files? How many lives had HYDRA taken using the hands of his best friend? How many times must Steve read about the Winter Soldier knowing he would never find a trace of Bucky?

_Wait._

The Winter Soldier wasn't Bucky.

Bucky wasn't the Winter Soldier.

It would be impossible to determine a pattern.

In a fit of frustration, Steve swept everything off of the desk. Papers and photographs fluttered in the air, lifeless faces flashing before his eyes before falling down at his feet.

A familiar building caught his attention and Steve reached for the photograph with slightly tremoring hands. He recognized this place, it was the apartment Bucky had grown up in, where Steve had spent countless nights sleeping on couch cushions when his mother worked the graveyard shift at the hospital.

There was a hastily scrawled note on the back.

_Location holds significance, possible sightings throughout the years._

Steve's heart thudded in his chest as he read the words, something useful at last. With renewed energy and purpose, he stepped over the scattered sheets on the floor and headed for his bedroom.

Ten minutes later, he had a duffle bag of his meager belongings as well as the collection of false identifications and a large sum of cash. His frugality was an asset in this era of excess, he had saved nearly every penny of his impressive salary. The memory of the Great Depression had him withdrawing the money from his accounts as soon as it had been deposited, preferring to have all of his assets within literal reach.

And if these funds weren't enough, Steve had his SHIELD-issued credit card, though a part of him had always found the practice of charge-plates dishonest. Hill wouldn't mind, she was the one who had assigned Steve the mission to bring in the Winter Soldier.

Only Steve now knew to search for Bucky Barnes instead.

If his best friend was pushing to the surface of whatever brainwashing HYDRA did, then Steve would be there to pull him through.

Starting with Brooklyn.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cute banter scene between Darcy and JB that I had to cut due to my self-imposed word count limit per chapter. Then I forgot about it. Until now. 
> 
> References/Quotes:   
>  _Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory_.   
>  _The Importance of Being Earnest_ by Oscar Wilde.   
>  _Gilmore Girls_.

"The suspense is terrible. I hope it lasts." Darcy whispered.

Wong's eyebrows pinched together. "I've heard that before, who said that?"

"Willy Wonka." JB answered.

"Oscar Wilde." Darcy said at the same time.

They turned to stare at each other.

"You know Oscar Wilde?"

"You watched Willy Wonka without me?"

"Hey! I read things." Darcy scoffed. 

"It was on the other night." JB shrugged. "You kept saying how I have to watch it, so I did."

"We were supposed to watch it together."

"You also kept saying how you had recurring dreams about marrying the Oompa Loompa-"

Darcy's eyes widened. "I said I liked the dancing!"

"-and I wanted to size up my competition first." JB smiled. "You like dancing?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I...don't remember writing this at all but it was sitting in the word document, page 7 out of 13. It's a dive into Steve's head, which isn't a pleasant place to be, so maybe I've blocked it from my memory as a protective measure?

_Steve Rogers' real superpower wasn't his enhanced physiology. It was his ability to make perfectly sane men follow him blindly through the gates of hell believing themselves on the righteous path._

Steve did not consider himself a hero. Truthfully, he didn't. Doing the right thing was the basic requirement of humanity, so he didn't consider himself extraordinary for doing what he considered to be the bare minimum. That would be awfully arrogant and he was a humble man who thought himself ordinary.

It was only the comparison to those lesser than he was, everyone else who failed to hold up their end, that made him stand out, because he had to compensate for their indifference, their shortcoming, their flaws. He was always the first to speak up, to step forward, and to throw a punch. Time and time again, he threw his body onto the line for others to crawl over. Setting an example and demonstrating the proper way, yet no one ever followed. 

Eventually, he realized that people were lazy, unmotivated to dig deep and rise to the occasion if they thought someone else would do it. Someone good, someone generous, someone who was being taken advantage of for their goodness and generosity.

Steve was damn tired of it. Oops, language. 

Showing them what to do didn't work because they got to enjoy the finished product without getting their hands dirty. He had to tell them, command them, lead them.

It wasn't some kind of power trip. Steve had never been motivated by his ego, only by the sense of right and wrong. And he had his work cut out for him. There was so much that needed to be corrected in the world but it wasn't too late, never too late to start making changes. And Steve knew exactly what needed to be done, he could fix it all...but he'd first have to be stronger, louder, taller. Someone people would gaze up at rather than looked down upon. Something he wanted his whole life, to grow into the big heart his mama had always said he had, because he was good, which was better than great.

But Steve knew he could be both. As soon as the world realized it had made a mistake in denying him the chance to prove himself.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was one of the scenarios that didn't make it into [I Wouldn't Hesitate (to smile while you suffocate and die)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20143174). I suppose I could have squeezed it in but then it'd be 6+1 instead of 5+1 and you know how me and my OCD tendencies get... :P

Scott was entirely unprepared to see Hope's familiar bob as they exited the Wakandan aircraft, the astonishment had him tripping over his feet and crashing into Sam, who slammed into Clint, who had no one to break his fall.

"Hope!" Ignoring Clint's grunt and Sam's glare, Scott pushed forward until he was face-to-face with the woman he had missed for the past year. "I'm just- I'm so happy- How are you? You look really good! Not that I'm surprised you look good because you always look good, all the time. How is that even possible-"

Sam elbowed him on the side, effectively stopping Scott's torrent of word vomit. Next to him, Clint was leaning on Steve with a limp that was absolutely fake. Wanda was giggling quietly in response to whatever comment Natasha had whispered into her ear, probably at Scott's expense.

"Be cool." Sam hissed at him before extending a hand toward Hope. "Hi, I'm Sam Wilson."

The introduction spurred the others to join in.

"Clint Barton."

"Natasha Romanoff." 

"Wanda Maximoff."

"Steve Rogers."

"Hope." Scott cleared his throat. "I, um, really, really, really missed you. Maybe we can go somewhere and talk? Catch up? Not like a date or anything unless you want it to be then it can totally be a date-"

"Geez, man. Chill." Sam elbowed him again. "And we have to wait for the Accords-Avengers liaison, remember?"

Scott's face fell as he remembered all the red tape they would need to weave through as part of their conditional return. "Oh, right." He glanced around the tarmac. "Well, they're not even here so they probably won't care if we get going-"

Hope smiled, a beautiful but sharp curve. "I'm here and trust me when I say I'd care very much if you decided to _get going_ because then that means I'll spend my lunch filling out the paperwork revoking your temporary stay." Her eyes glittered in the sun but the look in them were cold as she turned to address the group. "Hope van Dyne, the Accords-Avengers liaison."

"Stark hired your girlfriend as payback?" Wanda scowled. "Petty."


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be a "5 Times Scott Lang Was Wrong About Tony Stark and the 1 Time He Was Right About Captain America" fic for indiw's [prompt](https://archiveofourown.org/comments/116864697). 
> 
> But now I can't quite remember where I was going with it and will not be continuing it now that I'm not as involved in the MCU fandom so here it is.

Scott checked the calendar, a printed copy hanging on the beige-colored walls of his room in a secluded wing of the Wakandan palace, and realized with a sinking heart that today was Cassie's first day of school. He had pinky-sworn to be there, joked about making an embarrassingly large sign declaring her the _Best Fifth Grader_ that had her giggling nonstop. But now all he had was regretful silence and the knowledge that he had broken yet another promise to his daughter.

After Steve had broken them out of the Raft, they sought sanctuary in Wakanda. Steve had been certain that they would be greeted with opened arms. While T'Challa had allowed them to stay, Scott thought the King had looked decidedly unwelcome with his hands clasped behind his back. Not that he could blame T'Challa, no one would be happy with an indefinite houseguest, let alone seven. Technically six, with Barnes down in the cryostasis chamber.

There was no return date for the Avengers plus Scott, and for all the poetics Steve liked to wax about fighting for the people, they sure as hell weren't doing that hiding in a secret country.

The only one who was helping people was Stark. Footage of Iron Man assisting with reconstruction dominated the news cycle and when he wasn't in his armored suit, Stark was in a bespoke one, shaking hands with global leaders and arguing for a balanced partnership.

One that Scott and Steve and the other Avengers had tipped against themselves with their showdown at the airport.

No, not a showdown.

_Recklessness._

The property damage was in estimated to be in the high eight figures. A number Scott still couldn't wrap his mind around but knew that he was responsible for the majority of it. Planes weren't cheap and he had snapped the wing off of one and kicked another. Despite Clint's many rants about being in the right, Scott knew they were on the wrong side of the law.

Because while their suite were bigger and better than the cells on the Raft, they still weren't allowed to leave.

Scott knew it wasn't fair to blame Steve and Sam for his current predicament because he could have said no, but he kind of did anyway.

*

They watched Stark's press conference on the holographic display. Even reduced to a two dimensional image, Stark's personality was still loud and clear with his exaggerated winks and animated gestures.

"A showman just like his father." Clint said, scoffing at Stark posing with a new group of enhanced individuals.

Who called themselves the _New Avengers_.

A dagger sailed through the hologram as Natasha let loose a string of angry-sounding words that was decidedly not in English.

"Turn it off." Steve gritted out, fists clenched and shoulders reared back like he was going to throw a punch.

Scott stared at blank wall and the blade embedded in it, chewing on the inside of his cheek to stop himself from pointing that he was still watching.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While in Wakanda, Sam and Wanda realized that Steve didn't, in fact, have their best interests at heart during Civil War. 
> 
> I think this was supposed to be part of a 5+1 where the ex-Vengers turn on Steve?

"You'd have turned it down anyway." Steve stated with his usual certainty, only it was grating instead of comforting. 

"Yeah. Maybe." The thing was, Sam would have, but it should have been _his_ choice. No matter how well Steve knew him, or thought he knew him, it did not justify taking away Sam's decision. "But that wasn't your call to make."

"It was the right call." Steve argued.

For who? It certainly wasn't the right call for any of them, fugitives and scorned by the people they tried to hard to save. The only person who benefited from this Civil War mess was in cryostasis, safe and unaware, with Captain America standing guard at all hours of the day. Sam had once thought it was an act of ultimate friendship and absolute loyalty, now he wondered if this was Steve’s way of hiding from them. From the people whose lives he had ruined without a second of consideration. "Guess when you said the safest hands are _our_ own, you really just meant _yours_." He scoffed, shaking his head, then turned to one of the Dora Milaje, always present like the shadows they inhibit. "I'd like to request a meeting with King T'Challa, please."

The woman eyed him with almost-approval. "Follow me."

*

Wanda watched Sam’s retreating form, picking up on his agitated mood and suppressing the reflex to exploit that somehow. As a HYDRA operative, she had been trained to manipulate emotions and manifest fears. Now, she was an Avenger and there were simply things she didn’t, shouldn’t, do anymore.

Except the world didn’t think of her as an Avenger. Her status had been suspended after Lagos, and likely revoked after Germany. Wanda told herself it didn’t matter what the world thought, she did the right thing to follow Captain America and stand against the Accords.

The newscaster carried on; his voice smooth as his words shattered the foundation of Wanda’s faith.

In addition to the plea deal offered to Steve, Sam, and Bucky, there was one for Wanda. She could have been reinstated after undergoing psychological evaluation and agreeing to additional field training, standard procedure for any operatives who had experienced a traumatic event on the job.

The lockdown at the Avengers Compound was meant to be temporary.

Steve hadn’t told her that. He had greeted her and Clint with a bright smile then launched into battle plans. He had said he rescued her.

Wanda forced herself to breathe and rein in her powers, though her control was fraying at the edges and quickly unraveling. She _trusted_ Steve. She _should_ trust Steve. She _had_ trusted Steve.

Maybe she shouldn’t have.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The tone was too aggressive for [(where we at) Only Few Have Known](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19043245/chapters/45231199) so I took this confrontation out.

A crash of thunder greeted them upon return.

"Brother!" Thor moved as though to embrace Loki before changing his mind at the last second and settling for an enthusiastic wave. "It is time to come home. Father has pardoned you for all of your crimes-"

" _Alleged crimes_." Tony coughed.

"-and you are declared a citizen of Asgard once more!"

Loki took a wary step back. "And what brought forth this uncharacteristic act of mercy?"

"Emissaries from other worlds have been singing you praises and vouching for your honor!"

"Of course." Loki laughed, a mirthless sound. "The words of others will always weigh more than mine."


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unused Christmas scene that I took out of _If You Had This Time Again_ because of my word count OCD tendencies. :|

Happy visited his parents throughout the year and had an annual fishing trip with his father every September, their shared birthday month.

Rhodes' holiday availability was dictated by his schedule but he tried to spend Thanksgiving with Tony and Christmas with his family whenever possible. Tony had a standing invitation to join them for both holidays that he had accepted yearly during the college then less frequently when he had taken over Stark Industries and declined with regret after becoming Iron Man. He would never forgive himself if one of his enemies had followed him to Mama Rhodes' house. She settled for sending cookies instead and Tony loved every bite of the snickerdoodle cookies topped with red and green sprinkles. Rhodes had already headed out to Philadelphia after the tree decoration.

Pepper usually spent Christmas Eve morning with them, exchanging gifts and hugs, before flying out to California. The time difference, for once, worked in her favor to make it on time for family dinner.

**Author's Note:**

> [dls-ao3.tumblr.com](https://dls-ao3.tumblr.com/)


End file.
